Roof closure support for expansible building



y: y? P April 19, 1960 K w, CQUSEvET AL 2,933,055

RooF cLosuRE SUPPORT FOR ExPANsIBLE BUILDING Filed Feb. 19, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l #Y We? April 19, 1960 K. W. CZOUSEV EVAL ROOF CLOSURE SUPPORT FOR EXPANSIBLE BUILDING Filed Feb; 19, 1957 2 Shee 11s-Sheet 2 United States Patent O ROOF CLSURE SUPPORT FOR EXPANSIBLE BUILDING Kibhey Whitman Conse and Robert M. Sutphen, Newark, NJ., assignors to Couse Manufacturing, Inc., Newark, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 19, 1957, Serial No. 641,061

4 Claims. (Cl. 10S- 3) This invention relates to building structures and more particularly to a exible cover supporting means for use on pivotal root` members included in the structure.

The expansible building structure of our invention is of the portable type which may be easily and readily moved from one location to another. If desired, the structure may be mounted upon a truck chassis whereby the mobility is further increased. In the closed, or folded, condition the structure is small enough to meet the road requirements for use on the public highways. In the expanded condition the floor and roof area is more than doubled thereby providing an extremely large sheltered area. Slidably mounted bulkhead extension members which are normally nested adjacent the building structure bulkheads, may be extended to form end walls for the expanded structure. The expanded roof area is supplied, in part, by a pair of pivotally mounted roof units. A storage area having a canvas covering is provided adjacent the pivotal roof units thereby providing an enclosed area within which large amounts of equipment, supplies and the like may be stored.

An object of this invention is the provision of a portable, expansible building structure which, in the closed or folded condition, is small enough to be transported over the road and in the open or expanded condition forms an extremely large sheltered area which is adapted for use as a machine shop, work shop, storage area, or the like.

An object of this invention is the provision of a exible canvas supporting means which is adapted to be connected to the pivotally supported roof units of our expansible building structure, the said supporting means supporting a canvas closure member which is secured thereto, thereby forming a sheltered roof area on the expansible building structure within which equipment, supplies and the like may be stored.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description when taken with the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and are not to be construed as defining the scope or limits of the invention, reference being had for the latter purposes to the appended claims.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote like parts in the several views:

Figure l is a rear elevational view of a vehicular mounted expansible structure shown in a folded road condition;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the structure in the folded condition as shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of an expansible building structure in a folded condition and showing a exible canvas roof supporting device attached thereto;

Figure 4 is a view which is similar to Figure 3 but show\ ing the expansible structure opened to an expanded position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of ICC of the canvas roof and llexible supporting device shown 5 in Figures 3 and 4; and

shown in the drawings.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the canvas roof and flexible canvas supporting device shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Our novel expansible building structure, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, is vehicular mounted for maximum mobility. Referring to Figure l, the building structure which is designated generally by the reference numeral 20 forms an expansible truck ibody when mounted upon the road wheels shown diagramrnatically4 at 21. The expansible body 2a includes a oor panel 22 which is made up of a plurality of connected triangular-shaped structural building units as are the other body components. The floor panel 22 is secured to a bed plate 23 which, in turn, is supported upon a chassis frame 24. The chassis frame 24 is suitably secured through the usual resilient suspension system (not shown in the drawings) to the road wheels 21. vIn order to permit the expansible body 20 to be rmly and quickly fastened to the chassis frame 24 the floor panel 22 and bed plate 23 are bolted to the chassis frame 24 by bolt fastening means not The entire truck body and bed plate may be lifted free of the chassis frame for any desired purpose.

Fixed front and rear bulkheads 26 are suitably secured to the ends of the door panel 22 (only the rear bulkhead is visible in Figure l). The bulkheads 26 each comprise six (6) isosceles right triangular-shaped structural units joined together to form an upwardly peaked wall struc-v ture having inclined portions 28 which comprise the long sides of the two upper structural units in the bulkheads 26 at the center of the bulkheads.

bers above the top of the front and rear bulkheads 26. The roof ridge member, or support 31, as seen in Fig ure 2 of the drawings, not only acts as a ridge member -between the supporting members 29 and attached bulkheads 26 but also functions as a hinge pivot for hinge elements 32 to which roof units 33 are attached. VEach roof unit 33 comprises a right-angular-shaped member" having equal length roof sections 34 and 36. The elongated free edge of each roof section 34 is hingedto the ridge member 31 by the hinge elements 3.2. Each roof unit 33 is provided with front and rear triangular flap sections 37 which, in road condition, abut. the upper in` clined edges 28 of the bulkheads 26, as shown in Figure l. f

A roof panel 41 is attached to the outer free edge of each roof section 36 by a hinge member 42. The panel is normally folded outside of the roof section 36 and held in a generally vertical position by a combination sealing and fastening device 44 which extends the entire length of the body structure between the free edge of the roof panel 41 and the roof section 34 of the roof unit 33. When the expansible body structure is in normal road condition (as shown in full lines in Figures l and 2) the roof sections 36 and adjacent panels 41 form semi-side members which extend from bulkhead to bulkhead at right angles to the flat top roof area provided by the roof sections 34. In the expanded position of the expansible body structure (as shown in broken lines in Figure 2) the roof panels 41 may be swung outwardly and into parallel extending relation to the roof sections 3'6 forming prolongations thereof and thus extending the roof construction to cover a greater overall area.

Panels 46 constituting catwalks are attached to each Patented Apr. 19, 1960 3 side of theA floor panel 22 by hinges 47. Catwalk extension members 48 are slidably fastened to the outer surfaces of the catwalks 46. In the normal folded condition of the expansible body structure (as shown in full line in Figures 1 and 2) the catwalks 46 and juxtaposed catwalk extension members 48v formy semi-side members whichextend from'bulkhead to bulkhead at right angles to 4the floor panel. In the expanded or unfolded position of the body structure (as seen in brokenkv lines in Figure 2) thecatwalks 46 are pivoted about the hinge members47` into a horizontal position thereby forming extensions of the oor panelvZZ. Also, in the unfolded condition, the catwalk extension members 48 are slid outwardly from the catwalks thereby further extendingthe floor area.

In'. the`v expanded position of the body, the catwalks 46 *Hand catwalk extension members 48 are provided with addedsupport' by posts 51'. Asvshown in lbroken lines in Figure 2 of the drawings, theposts 51 may be provided witl'i Vupwardly extending portions 57 which support the roof panels 41 in an extended position; the extended position of the roofpanels 41 being shown in broken lines in Figure 2. y

Anr additional. storage area may be provided between the roof. sections 34 of the roof units 33 of the expanded body by extending a canvas `roof member 67 thereover, as seen in Figure. Theends of the canvas areallowed to hangy downwardly at the front and rear of the body thereby providing a completely enclosed roof area. Equipment and supplies maybe stored in the resulting protected area on the roof away from Y the ground. Improved canvas supporting means for the canvasroof member 67 are shown in Figures 3 through 7 and described below.

Referring first to Figure 3, the canvas roof member. 67 is shown supported uponV exible supporting members 81 made of spring steel, or other suitable material, and which japanese.

small amount of equipment and supplies, designated generally 83. When the roof units are raised to an open,

` expanded, position the resilient canvas roof supporting are arched transversely of the building structure. As best Y seen inthe enlarged fragmentary view of Figure 5, the ends of the flexible supporting members 81 are provided with enlarged edge portions 81 which are positioned in the edge groove 58 of the roof section 34 of the roof unit33. As seen in the enlarged fragmentary perspective view of Figure 6,"a` pluralityof exible supporting members'Sl are positioned along the canvas roof member 67. The Allexible supporting members 8l are contained within pockets 82 which. are stitched, or otherwise secured, to

- the underside of the canvas roof member 67 as best shown intthe enlarged fragmentary sectional view of Figure 7'. The sides of the canvas roof memberv 67 are provided with enlarged edge portions 67 which are held in the edge grooves 58 in theroof section 36 of the roof units 33. (The details ofthis-connection are best seen in Figure 5 Inf'the: closed position ofrthe roof units, as shownV in FigureV 3, the canvas roof `member ismaintained ina slightly arched position thereby 'providing room for a members81 are caused to assume a high arched position as the ends of the members are swung upwardly and together. In the open position shown in Figure'4, it is seen that a large enclosed roof space results within which much equipment and supplies may be. stored.

Having now described our invention in detail, in

accordance with ,the patent statutes, various other changes and modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in this art, and it is intended that such changes and modifications shall fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as recited in the following claims.

orientation; the said resilient supporting device compris-v ing a transversely arched resilient member having` inwardly extending end portions, means attaching the said K end portions to the outwardly facing free side edges of the said roof panels, the said llexible roof closureA being supported by the said transversely arched portion of the said resilient member.

2. The inventionas recited in claim 1 includingpoeket members attached transversely of the said flexible roof closure, the said pocket members being open at both ends and adapted to receive the said resilient member. 3. The invention as recited in claim l wherein the said resilient member is made of spring steel having a generally rectangular-shaped cross-section.

4. The invention as recited in claim l wherein a pluraiity of the said resilient members are positioned over the said roof panels at spaced intervals from one end of the said roof to the other endthereof, and meansfastening thesaid flexible roof closure adjacent the free edge of the said roof-panels.

ReferencesV Cited in the le of this patent :UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,187,816 Clot `Iune 20, V1916 1,436,984 `Follett NOV. 28, 1922 2,1704Q223 Houdart Mar. l5, 1955 2,755,517 Sickel July 24, 1956 2,793,067 Couse May`2l, 1957 K FOREIGN PATENTS v 922,889 France Feb. 10,1947 296,265Y GreattBr-itain Aug. 30, 1928 Y t y l l l i i l l i l 1 i l 

